


Don't You Ever Do That Again

by reellifejaneway



Series: Dragon Age: One-Shots [9]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Skyhold, Snow, Snowball Fight, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-14
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-03-17 18:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3539342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reellifejaneway/pseuds/reellifejaneway
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Commander Cullen wakes up with the idea of going for a hike in the snow, the Inquisitor decides to go along with it. After all, it couldn't hurt to indulge him. Or could it? When the lion rediscovers the mischievous boy inside, Arida gets a little bit more than she bargained for...</p><p>A fluffy humor one-shot based on a Tumblr ask-box prompt. Also inspired in no small way by Greendelle’s <a href="http://greendelle.tumblr.com/post/112193805376/a-late-b-day-present-for-junkipii">wonderful art</a> oops? Cullen Rutherford and the world of Thedas belong to Bioware. Arida Lavellan belongs to me. I'm just a fangirl who can't let go...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't You Ever Do That Again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chaosfay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosfay/gifts).



> Based on the tumblr ask-box challenge "send me a prompt and I'll write you a drabble".  
> Prompted by chaosfay: #9 "don't you ever do that again!" Additional challenge: fluffy humour only. 
> 
> *Flexes fingers* challenge accepted. ^_^

“Cullen _stop it!_ ”

“Stop what?” That cheeky glint had reappeared in his eye.

Arida was already breathless, risking a pause in their repartee to rest her hands on her knees and catch her breath. “Stop _that_ ,” she grit out, nodding her head in his direction, “that thing you do with your lip. You’re already plotting your next move. I can see it.”

“Am I? Really?” Cullen held up one empty, gloved hand. “Now what could possibly make you think such a thing?” Then, with lightning speed, he produced the other fist – already laden with tightly-balled snow.

No sooner had the icy projectile commenced on its trajectory than the auburn-haired elf let out a piercing scream, taking off in a clumsy sprint across the white field. “Cullen Stanton Rutherford, you are _relentless_!”

Their excursion down the mountain pass had been a spur of the moment decision. Cullen had awoken early with an insatiable desire to go hiking. And for some reason – which was still unknown to her – Arida Lavellan had gone along with the idea. At least for this journey, no guards accompanied them since they were still within sight of Skyhold. Hands linked snugly together, rugged up in woollen cloaks and heavy boots, the Inquisitor and her Commander had trudged and stumbled through the frosty pass. The cold air had been little more than a distraction, warm puffs of mist tumbling from their lips with each murmured observation, at each awful joke Arida made, and with every resounding laugh that shook Cullen’s broad shoulders.

In all her time with him, Arida had never seen Cullen smile so broadly or openly as he did today. There was no fear in his eyes. No reports to cloud his mood. No onlookers to make their intimate moments feel awkward. And she loved it, seeing him like this. He was utterly carefree with her: her lion of a man was reduced to a vivacious boy in the space of half an hour. Cullen had started by tickling her, randomly grasping her waist and attacking her with fingers so deft that Arida could do little more than squeal and flail in his arms. Eventually she had fought her way free, taking off across the snow. She had been laughing madly as each kick of her heavy boots sent white spray flying up in his face.

And then Cullen had started making snowballs.

If there was one thing Arida had not expected from her lover, it was _that_. The man was not only a brilliant tactician – countering her every move – but he was the most efficient and precise marksman she had ever encountered. At least, a brilliant marksman for a man who had not thrown snowballs in ten years.

Screeching, Lavellan flung herself forward and narrowly escaped yet another projectile to the chest. “Creators! Are you bloody enjoying yourself!?”

The blond warrior chuckled, stooping to ball up another few handfuls. “Oh believe me, I am.”

The Inquisitor shot him a murderous look. Then, sucking in a lungful of bitter cold air, she turned and raced toward a nearby rocky outcrop. Her boots slid out from beneath her on the snow, earning herself a few more shots to the back for her fumbles. Ungainly creature that she was, Arida nearly slipped and fell twice while working her way down the slope.

 _Let him try now!_ Bending down beneath the rocky ‘fortress’, Arida scooped the ice into her palms, compressing each ball in turn and setting them aside as an arsenal. She didn’t have much time. Already she could hear the Commander’s heavy footfalls racing toward her.

Thankfully, she was a rogue.

Slipping into the shadows beneath the stone ledge, Arida clasped two snowballs in her hands – and waited.

A shadow fell across the snow then, and she realised with a giggle that her beloved was now standing on the outcrop directly above her.

“Maker’s breath,” he muttered. Even from here she could see him rake a hand through his hair, the silhouette against the snow copying his actions with perfect clarity. “Arida?”

A pause then. He was waiting, listening. She made sure to hold her breath.

_Not this time._

“Where in the void has she gone?”

Arida stifled a snort, ignoring the chill of the snow as it began to melt in her hands.

_One..._

Cullen turned on his heel, glancing to the left and right. There was no other visible route she could have taken except to move farther down the narrow pass. And there were no footprints to trace. At least, none that he could see. Being the rogue that she was, the elf’s tracks were not exactly the most distinguishable ones to follow. Arida had chosen a course over the rocks for that exact reason and to her delight, her plan was working. He was baffled.

_Two..._

Muttering to himself, he put his gloved hands on his hips. The boy was rapidly transforming back into the tense, pacing lion, and it was hilarious to watch.

_Three!_

Arida launched out of the shadows with frightening speed, her shadowy form rounding the precipice to surprise him from behind. Before Cullen could even begin to register what was happening, she had sent the snowballs hurtling in his direction.

Eyes wide, the warrior scrambled to escape. But not quickly enough. One after the other, the projectiles smashed into his thinly-padded stomach.

He let out a wheeze, doubling over comically – before abruptly tumbling off the outcrop.

Arida froze, her breath catching in her throat when her love suddenly disappeared altogether. Then, with a stricken cry, she rushed to the edge of the rocky overhang. “ _Cullen_! Oh Creators no – Cullen are you alright?”

Her eyes landed upon him then, a dark figure lying deathly still in the snow just below. Springing to her feet, she skidded her way down the slope to his side. Half-frozen fingers tugged soaked gloves off, tossing them down on the frosty ground beside her.

“Oh please... Please answer me,” she gasped, gently touching his cheeks. Her heart froze when his eyes stared blindly upward. Not even a flicker. “Cullen,” she grasped his shoulders and shook, “Cullen stop it! You have to look at me... Oh Creators no...” Panic overtook her and she fumbled to loosen his scarf, to check his pulse...

A broad hand shot out and snatched hers away.

Arida screamed, cheeks burning furiously when she realised that not only was the man beneath her looking back – conscious and alive – he was _laughing_ at her.

“I thought you said you couldn’t throw,” he grinned lopsidedly.

She shook him harder now, gripping his collar with white knuckles. “Mythal’enaste, Cullen! You scared me!”

The Commander simply let his head fall back against the snow, his cheeks flushed and chest shaking beneath her with mirth. “I don’t know what came over me. But Maker, your face—”

“You... You...!” Arida fumed. She shifted, pinning him firmly in place beneath her and pummelling him lightly with open palms. “I should have just left you there. After targeting me so relentlessly like that. I have bruises you know.”

“I guess I did deserve it,” he replied, his scar quirking delightfully with every fresh smile. “But I do love seeing you move – you are wonderful.”

The Inquisitor rolled her eyes at him from beneath her hood, her cropped hair falling about her face and shielding him temporarily from the snow that had begun to fall once more. “Excuses, excuses. Are you ever going to apologise? Because if you are going to keep on laughing at me, I’ll walk back to Skyhold without you.”

Cullen’s eyes darkened a little then. With surprising agility he leaned up and pressed his mouth to hers, pulling away just enough to whisper, “I’m sorry, my love.”

Arida smiled into the kiss, pressing him back down into the snow with a resigned sigh. “Apology accepted.”

They lost themselves in the moment, their contact the only warmth they seemed to need. Heated breaths, sighs and touches were shared and taken in turn. Finally the pair stood and turned to walk back in the direction of the fortress.

The Inquisitor slipped her hand into his welcoming grasp, resting her head against Cullen’s softly-clad shoulder. “Just… Promise me something?”

Cullen smiled down at her over the edge of her hood, “Hmm?” 

She socked him lightly in the side. “Don’t ever do that again.”


End file.
